Door knob assembly



Dec. 12, 1961 A. B. ZION DOOR KNOB ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 10, 1959 Q d y INVENTOR ATTORNEY Dec. 12, 1961 A. B. ZION DOOR KNOB ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 10, 1959 l l l I I l l I ----1 lNVENTOR 5?:0 5. ,Z/o/v mam,

ATTORNEY 3,012,808 Patented Dec. 12, 1961 ice 3,012,808 DOOR KNOB ASSEMBLY Alfred B. Zion, 4590 Miller Ave., Montreal, Quebec, Canada Filed Apr. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 805,532 3 Claims. (Cl. 292347) This invention relates to door knob constructions, and more particularly to door knob assemblies made of seamless metal components.

In the door knob art, it has been the practice to produce a metal door knob incorporating both the shank and the bulbous hand gripping portion in one unitary piece of sheet metal. In spinning or otherwise forming the integral shank and bulbous portion out of a single tubular blank, it has been found that the spinning process frequently causes the shank portion thereof to become thinner than the bulbous hand-gripping portion, and consequently, said shank portion becomes the weaker part of the structure. The shank portion, which is intended to absorb most of the force in operation of a door, should usually be stronger than the bulbous portion since it is subjected in use to more adverse and rigorous punishment than the rest of the assembly. Also, the unitary shankknob construction of the prior art prevents any selection of materials of different characteristics for the shank and knob portions, respectively, which perform different functions.

In order to obviate the limitations imposed by making the shank and knob of a unitary or integral tubular material, I provide an assembly of separate shank and bulbous hand-gripping knob elements, which are formed in a manner as to cause them to be readily joined and secured together to form a unitary cooperating structure. By this means an assembly can be produced in which freedom is permitted in the selection of the respective materials whose weight and strength may be varied according to the uses to which the knob and shank are to be put and the stresses to which each is to be subjected. Among the considerations that would determine the selection of different materials, weights and thicknesses for the respective shank and knob elements would be their use either on inside or outside doors, and whether or not there were incorporated within the structure a key operated assembly or push button dogging assembly.

Furthermore, the knob may be made of a less expensive material in view of the fact that a light cap of thin sheet metal may be spun thereover, said cap being selected or a more decorative material, such as brass, bronze or aluminum, which would be more expensive than the base metal of the knob whose thickness and strength would be sufficient to support the cap and cause the latter to retain its shape. By the use of the capping element over the knob, costly finishing of the base knob element is obviatedrand since said knob elements would be produced uniformly on a mass production basis, they would receive caps having different finishes and decorative aspects depending upon the specifications and desires of the customer. a A salient feature of the present invention is, the novel arrangement for attaching the knob'body to the shank,

which comprises forming holes in the shank flange and forming dimples in the knob body which are wedged into respective holes to secure the two elements together. Further reinforcement is provided for the knob-shank assembly by spinning a portion of thecap over contiguous portions of the knob and theshankflange. In

some embodiments the portion of the cap that is spun around contiguous portions of the'shank flange and knob body extends over and somewhat beyond the aforementioned holes, whereby the cooperation between the dimples and the respective holes is strengthened.

Another modification of the invention comprises the formation of an annular rim on the shank flange which cooperates with the annular edge portion of the knob body to limit the movement of the latter and to form an abutment therefor so that the knob and shank assembly can resist excessive stresses and strains that might possibly be imposed thereon.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification.

The features of novelty which are believed to be characteristic of the invention are set forth herein and will best be understood, both as to their fundamental principles and as to their particular embodiments, by reference to the specification and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a door knob and shank assembly made according to the present invention, prior to its being covered by a cap element;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged central section view of the knob and shank portion of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2, some parts being shown in phantom outline;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section view of a modified embodiment of the structure shown in FIG. 1, wherein details of the shank, knob and cap elements are illustrated together with ferrule and rose plate elements;

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged section view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4, omitting the ferrule element;

FIG. 6 is a still further enlarged section view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7, partly in phantom outline and partly broken away, is similar to FIG. 2, except for the provision of a modification in the shank flange for providing an annular abutment for the rear circular edge of the knob y;

FIG. 8, partly in phantom outline and partly broken away, is similar to FIG. 4, showing the manner in which the cap is formed over the contiguous portions ofv the knob and shank embodiment of FIG. 7; and 7 FIG. 9 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary cross section view similar to FIG. 6, showing the finalassembly of the parts for the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.-

In the various embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings and described herein, the same reference numerals will designate similar elements and components throughout.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown a spindle 11 (FIG. 4) of a door lock operating device which is made of a suitable tubular'metallic material. Mounted fast around spindle 11 and fitting intimately and rotating therewith is a metaltubular shank 12 whose sleeve portion extends for some distance along said spindle. The forward end of shank 12 is formed into an integral radially extending annular flange 13 which terminates peripherally in an integral rearwardly extending annular lip 14. Shank 12, flange 13 and lip 14 may be formed by a suitable spinning or stamping process from a single'piece of tubular metal stock.

Connected to lip 14 of flange 13 is a bulbous handgripping knob body 15 by means which will be described hereinbelow. Body. 15 may be made from a cup-shaped blank which has been spun, molded or otherwise formed into the shape shown in FIG. 2, where the concave dished face portion 16 forms an integral closed end for said knob. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the'knob body 15 is not intended to enclose a cylinder lock. 1

In order to assemble knob body 15 with shank" 12, a plurality of substantially uniformly spaced apart holes 17 are pierced in lip 14 (FIGS. 2, 3, 5, 6), after which the circular rear portion of ,body 15 is positioned over said lip 14 with which it fitsintimately, whereby the rear annular edge of said body 15 is substantially coterminous with the rear annular edge of lip 14. Thereafter, a plurality of spaced apart dimples 18 are formed by a suitable die or tool in the edge area of body 15, whereby each dimple is urged into a respective hole 17, as shown in FIGS. 3, and 6, by force fit or wedging action. Thus, the knob body and shank are substantially permanently secured to each other in coaxial relationship. By means of this hole and dimple structure rotational movement of knob body 15 is translated into rotational movement of shank 12, and accordingly of spindle 11, which operates the door latching mechanism (not shown).

In another embodiment as shown in FIG. 4, the concave face portion 16 of knob body 15 has a central circular aperture through which entrance may be had to a key operated tumbler lock or push button dogging assembly 22, as shown in phantom outline in FIG. 4, for the insertion of a key or the like into spindle 11. For this purpose, shank 12 would be provided with a longitudinal slot 23 (FIG. 2) and flange 13 would have a radial slot 24 (FIG. 3) for accommodating the laterally extending portion 25 of lock 22. Spindle 11 may also be provided, if necessary, with a longitudinal slot to accommodate said lock.

After body 15 and shank 12 have been assembled, a cup-shaped sheath or cap member 26 of a suitable sheet metal is spun or otherwise intimately formed over all the external surfaces of body 15, whereby said cap assumes the contours of said knob body. The longitudinal dimension of cap 26 is somewhat longer than that of said body 15, whereby the rearward portion of said cap may be spun or otherwise formed in a U-shaped annular clamp 27 over both the rear circular edge portions of body 15 and of lip 14 to secure said knob body and said lip together.

In some embodiments, the forwardly extending annular leg 28 of clamp 27 is arranged to extend a sufficient distance to cover all of holes 17 completely, FIG. 6, so that the fastening action between the respective pairs of holes 17 and dimples will be effectively reinforced.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the concave face portion 29 of cap 26 follows the contour of face portion 16 of knob 15 and at the center aperture thereof terminates in a rearwardly extending ring 31. Although the knob body 15 in the embodiment of FIG. 2 does not have a central aperture in face 16, nevertheless it is contemplated that a cap member, similarly as in FIG. 4, will follow the contours thereof and will also be provided with the U-shaped annulus to reinforce the juncture between the knob body and lip 14 of shank 12.

The embodiment in FIG. 4 also incorporates a tubular sheet metal ferrule 32 whose coaxial sleeve portion extends longitudinally of, and is mounted fast on, shank 12 with which it rotates. The forward portion of ferrule 32 flares out into agenerally S-shaped flange 33, the forward edge of which abuts the rear surface of flange 13 of shank 12. Ferrule 32 serves as a decorative and utilitarian closure over slot 23 in shank 12 and slot 24 in flange 13 to guard and protect the lock mech anisms or the like installed in the interior of the knob and the shank. A decorative circular rose plate 34 surrounds spindle 11 and may be provided with a forwardly extending reverse U-shaped annulus 35 which is in sliding engagement with the rotatable sleeve portion of ferrule 32.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, lip 14 is provided with an outwardly extending annular rim 41 whose forward surface 42 (FIG. 9) serves as a shoulder against which the circular rear edge 43 of knob body 15 abuts. Annular rim 41, formed integrally with lip 14, not only serves to position and align knob body 15 in a proper coaxial position relative to shank 12, but it also supports knob body 15 and renders the knob-shank assembly less susceptible to damage from an end-wise or oblique blows or stresses which said assembly might experience in handling and use.

The outer periphery of rim 41 coincides with the peripheral surface of knob body 15 forming a smooth juncture therewith. The circular rear portion of cap 26 is spun over the juncture between knob body 15 and rim 41 and turned to cover holes 17 in order to reinforce the wedging action of dimples 18 therein (FIG. 9), in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 6 and described hereinabove.

By means of the structures described herein, it is now possible to produce knob-shank assemblies that are best adapted for their end use with considerable economies in manufacture being realized because of the freedom to prescribe and select different materials of varying strengths and weights for the respective knob and shank elements. The dimple-hole assembly for the two parts is extremely simple to achieve and provides for a strong permanent bond between the two elements. Moreover, inexpensive base materials may be utilized for each of the knob and shank components which may thereafter be provided with comparatively thin but more decorative spun or molded cap elements as desired or required. Furthermore, a portion of the cap element is utilized to reinforce the juncture between the knob and shank and provide a smooth overlay for the respective adjacent rear edges thereof.

It is also contemplated that the assembly of the knob body with the shank may be accomplished by omitting holes 17 in lip 14 and forming dimples 18 in such manner that conforming mating dimples are also simultaneously formed in said lip whereby a strong interlocking juncture is obtained between said elements.

It is contemplated that in some embodiments of the present invention, holes 17 may alternatively be formed in the edge area of body 15, while the corresponding dimples 18 may be formed in lip 14 to produce the same wedging or press fit coaction therebetween to secure the knob and shank into a unitary coaxial structure in the manner described hereinabove.

1n the specification, there are explained the principles of the invention, and the best mode in which it is contemplated applying those principles, so as to distinguish the invention from other inventions; and there are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed the part, mode or combination which is claimed as the invention or discovery.

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention are shown and described herein, it will be understood that modifications and changes may be made without departing from the function and scope thereof, as will be clear to those skilled in the art.

It is claimed:

1. A knob construction comprising a tubular shank, a radially extending annular flange formed on one end of said shank, a hand-gripping cup-shaped knob, a circular edge portion of said knob fitting intimately over a circular portion of said flange, a plurality of spaced apart holes in said flange portion, a plurality of spaced apart dimples in said knob portion, said dimples coacting with respective holes to secure said knob and said shank into a unitary structure and a sheath formed over the outer surface of said knob, a portion of said sheath extending in the form of a U-shaped annulus over both the contiguous knob portions and flange portions in the form of a clamp to reinforce the cooperation between said dimples and said holes.

2. A knob construction comprising a tubular shank, a radially extending annular flange formed on the forward end of said shank, a rearwardly extending annular lip formed on the periphery of said flange, a hand-gripping cup-shaped knob, the circular rear edge portion of said knob fitting intimately over said lip and being substantially coterminous therewith, a plurality of substantially uniformly spaced apart holes in said lip and a plurality of substantially uniformly spaced apart dimples in said knob, each of said dimples coacting by wedging action with a respective hole to secure said knob and said shank into a unitary structure, and a sheath formed over the outer surface of said knob, a portion of said sheath extending in the form of a U-shaped annulus over both the contiguous knob portions and flange portions in the form of a clamp to reinforce the cooperation between said dimples and said holes.

3. A knob construction comprising a tubular shank, an annular flange on one end of said shank, a hand-gripping cup-shaped knob, the circular edge portion of said knob fitting contiguously over a portion of said flange, a plurality of spaced apart holes in either one of said contiguous portions, a plurality of spaced apart dimples formed in the other of said contiguous portions, said'dimples being in wedging coaction with respective holes to secure said knob and said shank into a unitary structure, and a sheath formed over the outer surface of said knob, an annular portion of said sheath extending over both contiguous knob edge portions and flange portions and completely covering all of said dimples and all of said holes.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 2,571,767 Schlage Oct. 16, 1951 2,675,692 Welch et a1. Apr. 20, 1954 2,698,763 Young Jan. 4, 1955 2,793,899 Meyer May 28, 1957 2,848,264 Lynch Aug. 19, 1958 2,936,191 Kubik May 10, 1960 

